The kinetic energy of a moving current of fluid has been harnessed by mankind for thousands of years. The first such mechanisms were used to perform kinetic energy-intensive tasks such as grinding grain or raising water from a river. Since the invention of the electromagnetic generator, this kinetic energy of moving fluid has been converted into electrical energy, for distribution and consumption by all manner of electrical-energy-powered devices.
The raising of water from a river to a higher elevation for human consumption or for the irrigation of fields is one of the oldest recorded uses of hydrokinetic energy. One such ancient mechanism is known as a noria, in which jugs or buckets are fixed to a water wheel. The jugs fill when submerged, and then empty into an aqueduct near the uppermost position along the wheel's rotation. In such a device, the river provides both the water and the energy required to move the water to a desired location.
Other methods for moving water have been developed over the centuries such as the hydraulic ram and wind-powered pumps, but today pumps powered by an electric motor or internal combustion engine usually perform such functions.